


Obsession

by Elvaethor



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-14 12:46:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9182389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elvaethor/pseuds/Elvaethor
Summary: Two chapters in one day? I missed last week so I owe you guys. :)





	1. Finding Out

“Harry, you have to stop. Ron and I both agree that this will not end well.”

Harry looked up at Hermione surprised. The stern look on her face told him that he was in for a lecture. “Stop what?”

Ginny turned around to look at him. “She’s right. It never ends well when it’s you two,” she said before turning back to talk to Dean.

“Even McGonagall is keeping an eye on you now. All the teachers have noticed.”

Harry looked straight into Hermione’s eyes. “What does everyone _think_ is going on?”

“Oh, Harry. It’s sixth year all over again. You’re obsessed with Malfoy.” Harry proceeded to spit his drink across the table, a stutter of protest making its way past his lips.

 

****************************************************************

 

Harry had looked at himself in the mirror again, thinking over the possibilities.

  1. He could be faking it in order to get sympathy from the school.
  2. He was really ill and using it in order to get sympathy from the school.
  3. He had developed a drinking problem and was using t in order to get sympathy from the school.



Or

     4. Malfoy was a prat.

At least Harry knew that one of those things was true. The others all seemed to have something wrong with them, but Harry couldn’t quite figure it out and he didn’t have any other ideas for why Malfoy looked so ill this year. And it wasn’t just the stressed ill like many of the other Slytherins, but a skinny, worn out sort of ill.

Harry remembered how Malfoy looked after the Battle of Hogwarts, he’d only seemed to get worse after that, everyday looking like more of a struggle. The sympathy Malfoy had received once they’d all come back to school hadn’t seemed to help him.

Over the past week, Malfoy had started to remind Harry of Lupin, the way his shoulders sagged and the distant look in his eyes every so often.

 

***************************************************************

 

It was a few days after Halloween when Harry noticed Draco absentmindedly scratching his forearm where Harry knew the Dark Mark was. Harry watched as Malfoy winced as he seemed to realise and he held his arm as if he was in pain.

Malfoy rushed out of the Great Hall after he finished his breakfast. Harry stood up and followed him, slipping the invisibility cloak over his head once he was clear of the Hall.

Draco almost ran to the dungeons, before going through the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Harry managed to squeeze through the entrance before it shut behind him.

Malfoy seemed to sniffle a bit before he turned around and looked behind him at the empty space where Harry stood. Harry saw his eyes narrow, thinking that somehow Malfoy knew he was there and was going to hex him.

Instead, Malfoy just turned and stormed off to his room, knocking over a pair of second years who were just heading off for breakfast. Harry quickly followed, finding the room Draco had ran into with its door open and seemingly empty. He took a few steps into the room before the door slammed shut behind him.

“It’s not polite to follow people, Potter. Especially into their bedrooms.” Harry froze, hoping that Draco was just paranoid. “I know you’re in here, Potter. I can smell you.”

Harry’s brows knitted together in confusion as he pulled the cloak off. “You can smell me?” He realised too late that Malfoy might have been lying.

“Yes, ever since you left the Great Hall. May I ask why you were following me?”

Harry felt compelled to tell him the truth. “Because I’m curious. About his mark. How could it hurt you when he’s dead?”

Malfoy grinned at Harry, taking two steps towards him. “It’s cute that you care.” He turned and walked over to his desk as Harry’s cheeks flushed. Malfoy picked up his flask and drank the contents.

Harry looked at Draco for a second. “Well?”

“Well what?” Draco continued to keep his back to Harry.

“The Dark Mark?”

Draco spun around to face him. “I don’t have one. I was never a Death Eater.”

“But you showed it to Borgin just before the start of sixth year, and you were scratching it at breakfast today.”

“I don’t and never have had one of _his_ marks. I do, however, bear the mark of someone else.”

“Someone else? What are you talking about, Malfoy?” Harry took two steps forward before he stopped at the sight of Draco pulling his sleeve up.

“ _This_ is what I’m talking about, Potter,” Draco spat.

Just below Draco’s hand, where Harry was used to seeing the familiar snake and skull, the pale flesh was marred with scars, as though Malfoy’s arm had been mauled by a wild animal.

Malfoy’s words came into Harry’s mind. ‘…Fenrir Greyback. He’s a family friend…’ 

“That wasn’t pumpkin juice in my flask. Now I’ll ask you to leave, tonight is a full moon.” Draco ushered Harry out of his room. “Oh, and Potter, if you tell anyone, I’ll make sure to bite you.”


	2. The Weasel and the Mudblood

“Well,” Hermione said as she sat next to him,” everyone has noticed you watching Malfoy, and then last week you nearly knocked a group of first years down at breakfast to follow him. The teachers seem to be concerned that you’re going to start duelling at any moment. Everyone else just thinks you don’t trust him after everything that has happened.”

Harry searched her face to try and figure out which category she fell into. When he couldn’t find the answer written on her face he decided to resort to asking. “And you?”

“At first I thought you were waiting for the old Malfoy to come back, and then I figured that you didn’t trust him _and_ was waiting for you to start a duel.” She paused and looked at him with a hint of confusion. “Now, I have no idea. You seem to be concerned for him for some reason, but then sometimes you act as if you’re going to draw your wand on him.”

Harry sighed. Even he didn’t really know what was going on. After Draco had asked him to leave, Harry had been thinking about Malfoy’s transformation since the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. With the knowledge he now had, it was clear to see that Draco _was_ becoming more and more like Remus had been.

This line of thinking had started to force Harry to view Draco in a new light. He’d noticed how the majority of Slytherins avoided him like the plague; only Goyle seemed to remain loyal to the Malfoy heir, but even he looked uncomfortable talking to Draco.

“Harry!” Hermione’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. “This is exactly what I mean. You keep zoning out and staring at the Slytherins as if they’re going to attack us.”

Ron nodded his head towards the high table. “Look, even the teachers are watching us now.” Harry turned his head in time to see all of the teachers turning their attention elsewhere.

“Look, it’s fine. I’m not going to hex Malfoy in the corridors, I promise. I just found something out that changes a few things, that’s all.”

“What information?” Hermione looked even more confused, as if she couldn’t believe Harry hadn’t told them.

“I really wish I could tell you, but-”

“Potter, could I talk with you for a minute?” Draco had appeared behind them as if he had apparated.

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione for a second before turning to Malfoy. “Sure.”

As he stood to follow Malfoy, he noticed that McGonagall had turned to Professor Flitwick and kept glancing towards him. He smiled to himself and followed Malfoy out of the Hall.

Malfoy led him down to the kitchens, Harry assumed this was to prevent anybody but the house elves from eavesdropping. After Draco had ordered the elves to not repeat anything they heard to anybody, he spun to face Harry.

“I assume you remember my warning, Potter. If you tell _anybody_ about my condition, I will bite you.”

Harry sighed in resignation. “Yes, I remember and I won’t tell anybody.”

“Then why were you going to tell the Weasel and the Mudblood?”

Harry’s blood started to boil. “Don’t call them that,” he spat through gritted teeth.

“Why? Apt nicknames, I think. As is Saint Potter.” Harry flew at Malfoy, intent on knocking that stupid grin off his stupid face.

Just as he swung his arm back he leapt to the side to dodge out of the way of a hex that flew at him. He drew his wand and sent several back in response. When Malfoy rolled out of the way, Harry charged again, firing a few shield charms in front of him to deflect that spells that came at him.

Malfoy was still grinning as Harry tackled him to the floor. “Take it back,” he screamed as he shook Malfoy by his robes.

“He felt the spell hit them before he realised that McGonagall had entered the kitchens. “Miss Granger, Mr Weasley would you kindly remove Mr Potter from Mr Malfoy and bring him up to my office immediately. Mr Goyle, if you could bring Mr Malfoy as well.”

They all nodded in assent, before moving forward to move the two immobilised boys.

As they walked through the castle, Harry started to feel the charm lifting. “Harry, you promised.”

“He called Ron ‘the Weasel’ and you ‘the Mudblood.’ I wasn’t going to stand there and do nothing. Plus I did promise that I wouldn’t hex him in the corridors.” He mumbled the last part though.

“Oh, Harry. Couldn’t we just have one year?” Hermione chuckled as she loosened her grip so that Harry could start to walk by himself.

When they got to the Headmistress’ office, McGonagall dismissed the three escorts and mentioned for Harry and Malfoy to sit in front of her desk.

“I dread to think what would have happened had Kreacher not come to get me. You would be out in the world working under normal circumstances and yet here you two are acting as if you were in first year again. The worst part is that I’ve been defending you two to the other teachers, who by the way have advised me that you two should be kept separate as much as possible.

“I thought you’d at least know better, Mr Malfoy. May I remind you that you have conditions attached to your return to Hogwarts.” She paused for a moment. “Why were you fighting?”

Harry looked up at McGonagall. “Malfoy called Hermione a mudblood.” He shot a glance at the blond. “And Ron a weasel.”

“It was a joke, meant to rile him up. I was angry.”

“You didn’t seem it; you were grinning the whole time.”

“Enough. Mr Malfoy, this is your first warning, you will receive detention with me. You may leave.” After Malfoy had left she turned on Harry. “As for you, Mr Potter, I thought you of all people could forgive and move on, but it seems not. May I ask why Mr Malfoy asked you to go to the kitchens?”

“He thought I was going to tell Ron and Hermione…uuhhh.” He didn’t know if he should tell her. “Umm…something I found out about him last week. He’d asked me not to tell anybody and wanted to remind me.”

“I see. Is there any chance I could get you to tell me what it is that you found out?” He looked at her and shook his head. “Would it by any chance be the matter concerning the potions from Professor Slughorn and the special arrangements with his accommodation when he needs?”

Harry looked at her in shock. “But…he said not to tell anyone?”

“When it comes to the safety of my students I have to know these things. Mrs Malfoy asked us to be very sensitive about the issue. I do hope you didn’t force anything out of him.”

Harry shook his head, his mind reeling with this new information. “He told me of his own accord.”

“I’ve seen stranger things since I’ve been here, but I think we can safely say that we don’t need to keep you and Mr Malfoy separate.” She smiled at him as she gestured for him to leave, telling him that he’d be serving detention with Malfoy.

For Harry, it seemed as if there could be nothing stranger than the situation he now found himself in. Draco had told the Headmistress to keep the fact that he was a werewolf secret, told no one else and yet he’d chosen to tell Harry, who he’d probably hated since their first year. Harry was struggling to find any logical explanation.


	3. Explanations

Harry had received the note three days after their fight. It had been delivered by Dennis Creevey as Harry was walking to Potions. He remembered thinking that McGonagall had purposefully decided that that they would serve detention during the Gryffindor-Slytherin match to worsen their punishment.

Of course eighth years had been banned from playing on the house teams, in an effort to encourage inter-house unity within the year. This point had been stressed by McGonagall many times, even going as far as saying that they should now be the prime example of inter-house relations.

Her sincerity in this matter was why Harry and Malfoy were currently sat writing essays on the importance of the different houses working together, especially in regards to recent wizarding events and proposing ideas on how Hogwarts could improve relations between the houses.

Harry looked down at the rolls of parchment on his desk. He’d already finished his _highly_ academic thesis on the history and importance of the houses and their roles to work as a whole community, and made ten suggestions on how the school could encourage the houses to work together and given a quick analysis of each suggestions effectiveness.

Draco seemed to be on his fiftieth point, and had used several more rolls of parchment than Harry had. Perhaps another Yule Ball could help, especially if students were encouraged to take a date from another house. Harry started to write down the basic plans. It wasn’t like McGonagall was going to use any of these ideas anyway.

 

**************************************************************

 

Harry was reclined in his favourite armchair; the one by the fire just next to the sofa where Ron and Hermione were sprawled asleep, when McGonagall strode over from the portrait with a smile on her face.

“Mr Potter, I believe that there is a matter with which you can help me. If you could just come with me?” Harry looked around shocked for a moment, before putting his book down and following her out of the common room.

“What is it exactly that you want my help with, Professor?” Harry almost had to jog to keep up with her excited strides.

“Oh, all in due course, Potter.” She led him through the castle towards the Great Hall. Just as they came down the staircase to the oak doors, Draco emerged from the stairs from the dungeons. “Ah, Mr Malfoy. You got my message then.” Draco nodded his head once in response.

McGonagall turned and walked into the Great Hall. “Professor, why are we here?”

She turned to face them. “It seems that you two are not so different after all.” She paused, but at their blank expressions carried on. “Mr Potter, in your essay on house-unity, did you not put forth the idea of holding an inter-house Yule Ball?” Harry nodded his head. “And you, Mr Malfoy, proposed a similar idea?” They looked at each other in slight shock.

“Now, don’t worry too much, you’ll have help from the staff and about two weeks from now to plan and decorate.” She smiled at both of them. “And if the idea of working together is too repulsive, think of this as extended detention. I’m forcing you to work together.”

“I’m sorry, Professor. I still don’t quite understand.” Draco was looking at McGonagall as if she had gone crazy.

“You two will organise an inter-house Yule Ball, to be held in two weeks’ time, here in the Hall. I’ll leave you to start planning, but I don’t think it’s going to be too hard. Both of your essays were quite detailed.”

She left the two of them stood there, still in shock. “So, where do we start?”

“Well, Potter, our first step should be deciding how the night is going to go, and I’d like to do that as soon as possible as I may be very tired next week.”

Harry sighed. “So, I suppose we should…”

 

****************************************************************

 

It surprised Harry how easily the two of them made decisions together. They had already agreed on the events for the Ball itself, and made some progress on the after-party organisation. The only big things they had left to do were the decorations and getting approval from the Headmistress.

Harry was walking back from his meeting with Draco when a thought suddenly struck him. He turned around and quickly walked back, hoping to catch Draco before he reached the Slytherin dormitories. Luck had never really been on Harry’s side however, and he found himself sneaking into the common room under his cloak.

He scanned the crowded room for Draco but found no sign of him. Walking around the room full of Slytherins waiting dinner, he made his way to the blond’s room. He felt as if something was wrong, like a niggling at the back of his mind, but his pressing thoughts pushed the feeling down.

“Potter, what are you doing?” Draco had shut the door as he had entered, seeming slightly panicked.

“I just thought, which years are going to be coming? Only we can’t…”

Draco scoffed. “This is not the time, Potter. Have you forgotten what today is?” His direct tone made Harry’s stomach sink for some reason he couldn’t fathom. “Sorry, but this really isn’t the time. The sun is getting low and I’ve got to get to the Shrieking Shack.”

Realisation hit Harry like a ton of bricks. “Oh, shit. Full moon. Sorry, I didn’t think.”

Draco’s mouth pulled up into an amused grin. “It’s nice to see something’s haven’t changed.” He seemed to contemplate a thought for a second, before turning around and walking over to his desk. “Will you come with me? It would really help if you could carry this for me.” He was pointing at a small trunk.

“It’s so my clothes don’t get damaged. I usually leave it outside the shack, but I’d appreciate it if you could bring it back with you, and then come and fetch me in the morning. With the clothes of course.”

Harry looked at the back of Draco’s head for a second. “Erm, sure.” He picked up the empty trunk. “But why do you need this? I mean, doesn’t the Wolfsbane Potion make it so that you’re in control?”

“Slughorn’s potion isn’t as good as it could be. Sometimes it works, other times there are moments when I am not in control. I’ve asked McGonagall if I could brew the potion myself, but she refused, saying it would be too dangerous.” He drank the potion anyway and after he was done, motioned for Harry to put the cloak back on. “They should be walking to the Great Hall, but there might be a few stragglers.”

Once they were out of the castle, Harry pulled the cloak off, and the started to walk to the Whomping Willow. Harry started to feel like he should ask the question that had been circling his brain for days. “Why did you tell me? That day in your room, why tell me? Why not just hex me and kick me out?”

Draco looked up at the darkening sky as he walked. “I don’t know. Suppose I wanted to tell someone, rather than have _everyone_ find out through someone else. It made me feel in control of it, at least a little.”

“But why me?” Harry stepped over a piece of rubble buried slightly in the ground.

“My friends want to use it against me, my enemy wants to try and save me, if he can. I know you wouldn’t tell anyone if I asked you not to.”

Harry stopped walking. “I’m not trying to save you.”

“Not yet, you aren’t. Which I think I’m grateful for at the moment. But I know that eventually, you’ll try to.”

Harry jogged a bit to catch up to Malfoy. “I won’t. Not if you don’t want me to.” He saw Draco’s mouth twitch.

“We’ll see.”


	4. And You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day? I missed last week so I owe you guys. :)

“Whatever.” Harry walked next to Draco as they approached the Whomping Willow.

Draco seemed to ignore the remark and shot a freezing spell at the tree. “There’s a passage under…”

“I know. I’ve used it before.” Harry passed Draco and went down the passage with the trunk in his hand, his wand outstretched to light the way.

“When?” Draco was following him down the path.

“Third year. Sirius took Ron down here to kill Pettigrew. In the end Pettigrew escaped and me and Hermione had to try and outsmart a werewolf.”

“Lupin?”

“Yeah.” Harry carried on walking, trying his hardest to get the image of Remus and Tonks laying in the Great Hall out of his head.

The Shrieking Shack looked exactly like Harry remembered it, apart from the bed which looked new. The rest of the furniture was still smashed, and the wall paper was still peeling away from the walls. Draco certainly looked out of place among the debris.

As Harry set the trunk down on the floor, the blond started to strip off his clothes. “I would ask that you try and fold my clothes, Potter, but I know that it will be a waste of time.”

Harry’s cheeks were getting redder with each item Draco removed. Draco’s skin shone a ghostly white in the wand light, and Harry found himself enraptured. After Harry took his shirt, he watched as Malfoy’s muscles moved under his skin as he undressed further. His smooth legs seemed to go on forever as his trousers slid down them.

Harry was sure Draco was doing this on purpose, but he couldn’t help his eyes wandering across that beautiful skin as Draco stood in front of him in nothing but his underwear.

“Right, well. I’ll go then.” Harry went to move back into the passage but Draco grabbed his arm.

“Hold on, there’s no rush.” He looked almost desperate. “I won’t transform for a while and I’d enjoy the company. You’ll have enough time to leave.”

Harry’s cheeks darkened further, if such a thing were possible, as he put the trunk back down. “Besides, these are my favourite, wouldn’t want them to be damaged.” Draco gestured to his underwear before winking at with a grin. He moved to sit down on the bed. “Hm, perhaps this Ball will be good for us. You know, make us more friendly. We already seem to be halfway there.”

“Can’t you put your clothes back on? It’s weird talking to you like this.”

“Not enough time to take them off remember, and if it’s weird, your more than welcome to join me. To be honest if you weren’t here, I wouldn’t be wearing the pants.”

Harry unsuccessfully tried to shake _that_ thought from his head. “I’m not getting undressed in here.”

“Suit yourself, but don’t complain that it’s weird.” Draco looked at him for a minute before moving up the bed to sit against the pillows. “Sit down, Potter.”

Harry moved to sit at the foot of the bed opposite Malfoy, his back to the footboard. Draco rolled his eyes. “Okay, so, I told you about this, why don’t you tell me something about yourself. And it has to be something that you wouldn’t tell your friends.”

Harry thought for a moment. What wouldn’t he tell Hermione and Ron. Well, there was _that_ thing, but he didn’t want to tell Malfoy that, especially not in this situation. But what else was there? He would tell his friends anything else. “I…erm…I had a crush on…erm…Cedric.”

“Diggory? Who didn’t? Do better.” Harry closed his eyes.

“And Oliver Wood.” He looked at Draco and could see the displeasure.

“And me and Charlie had a thing over the summer.” Harry’s face went white. Why had he said that?

“I see the theme. So the famous Harry Potter likes men. Strong men it seems. Men who play quidditch.” He looked away in thought and Harry prayed that Draco wasn’t as smart as he seemed to be. “Krum?”

Harry opened one eye to find to find genuine curiosity on Draco’s face. “Krum’s,” he paused in thought, “attractive, but no.”

“Hm. Oh, please don’t tell me you and Ron ever…” Draco’s face scrunched in disgust.

“No!” Harry chuckled a bit. “God, I think Ron would have a heart attack if he found out.”

“Cormac?”

“McLaggen? Please!”

“Me?” Harry’s smile fell at the same time as his gaze. He watched his fingers twist together. “ _Me?_ ” Harry missed Draco’s predatory grin, but he didn’t miss the bed shift. Draco’s hand moved up his calf, just a ghost of a touch, over his knee and came to a rest on his thigh. Harry shifted slightly. “Say it.” His grip tightened as Harry looked up into his eyes. “For me.”

Harry held his gaze defiantly, their noses brushing slightly. “And you,” he whispered. Draco’s smile grew before it fell completely, his body going limp. “Oh, fuck!” Harr pushed Draco back onto the bed and pulled his underwear down as he started to thrash on the bed, moaning in pain.

Harry jumped, grabbed the trunk and fled down the passage, Draco’s screams following him. Just as he reached the entrance, there was suddenly silence.

 

****************************************************************

 

Draco was sound asleep when he returned the next morning. The Shack didn’t seem to be any more destroyed than usual, so Harry assumed the potion worked. Now that he wasn’t illuminated by wand light, Draco didn’t look as pale, but he certainly wasn’t his usual colour.

Harry took his time admiring the view in front of him. Draco was laid on his front, his firm arse bare to the world, yet seemingly only for Harry, and his back, smooth and lean, looked so inviting.

Finally, Draco started to stir, groaning against the stiffness of his muscles. “Enjoying the view?”

Harry smiled. After their talk last night, it felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. “Maybe.”

“Maybe I’ll stay like this then.”

“Maybe I’ll join.” Draco’s head whipped around to face him, disbelief written on his face. “Here.” Harry passed him his clothes. “I got you some new ones so no one will suspect anything.”

Draco looked almost bashful for a moment. “Thank you.” Harry decided to give him some privacy as he dressed. Maybe this Ball would be good for them.


	5. Finding A Partner

The time between the full moon and the ball seemed to disappear. The week was eaten up by the last-minute alterations and Draco being _very_ precise in telling the teachers exactly what had been agreed on. Harry busied himself in spreading the news of the ball around the school and making sure the house-elves had stocked up on everything they would need, along with the other mundane tasks that needed to be completed.

The two of them had barely had a chance to talk to each other unless they were updating McGonagall on the progress they had made. Despite this, during his free time, Harry found his mind wandering to the image of Draco’s body sprawled out in front of him.

It was on the day before the ball that Harry came to a sudden realisation during a conversation with Hermione. Harry had asked her if Ron and her could stand at the doors with him and Draco to introduce guests, much like they had done at the previous Yule Ball.

“Of course Ron and I’ll help you. I can’t wait to see who everyone’s going with. It was a really good idea making the houses interact like this, although, I am glad that Ernie asked to be my partner. I suspect that Ron would have demanded that he take me had it been anyone else. Well, he did demand but I reassured him.”

It was Hermione’s innocent ramblings that reminded Harry that he had yet to ask someone to the ball. His mind instantly reeled to find someone he could take: Luna had left to explore the world, and everyone else either had a date or were people that Harry didn’t really know.

He sent a quick note to Draco, explaining that he wouldn’t be able to take part in the first dance, as they had planned, but offering to supervise so that some of the teachers could dance instead.

After he had explained this to Hermione, she kept giving him pitying looks, until he decided to change the topic while he waited for a response from Draco.

“Have you read any books that explain how you can learn to become an animagus?”

She looked a bit confused before nodding. “Yes, I’m sure I read one this summer. I think it was in one of our Transfiguration books. Why? You’re not thinking of doing it are you?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I thought it might be useful.”

“It looked really hard, and there’s no guarantee it will work if we get any of the steps wrong.”

“We?”

“Well, I’m not going to just throw the book at you and say ‘here you go,’ I want to go through it with you, and I’m sure Ron will as well.”

Harry weighed his options. He could either accept Hermione’s offer and possibly reveal that he was doing this to help Draco, or he could reject her help and possibly fail altogether. In the end, the decision turned out to be easy.

“Sure. I’d like to do it soon, though.”

 

****************************************************************

 

The lack of a response from Draco didn’t really worry Harry until he was walking towards McGonagall, who was stood admiring the Great Hall.

“Professor, you and Professor Slughorn can take part in the first dance, in place of myself. I’ll supervise in the meantime.”

She looked shocked for a moment. “But I thought you and Mr Malfoy would be dancing with your partners. It is, after all, your ball.”

Harry turned around as someone coughed behind him. Draco was stood there with his hands behind his back and a nervous smile on his face. “Perhaps you would allow me to accompany you to _our_ ball? It would appear that I am also without a partner and we do fit the criteria, of being in different houses I mean.”

Harry tried his best to suppress his unexpected smile. “I’m a terrible dancer.”

“I happen to be a fine dancer, you’ll be more than fine as long as you allow me to lead.”

“Well, that’s settled then. You’ll be the first couple to dance.” Harry looked back at McGonagall, who was beaming like a cat.

“Come on, Potter. We have last minute preparations to complete.”

Harry walked over to where Draco was standing. “The least you could do is call me Harry, partner.” He stuck his tongue out at Draco before leaving the Hall.

“Never use partner like that again. Harry.” He really did try to suppress his smile.

 

****************************************************************

 

The whole school seemed to be a flurry of activity as the ball came closer. The entrances to the common rooms had been charmed open, so that students could wait for each other there, instead of in the corridors. Harry and Draco had just left the Hall, after making sure everything was perfect, in order to get changed into their suits.

Students and teachers were all moving through the corridors, either on their way to get changed or to pick up their dates. The Gryffindor common room, however, was relatively quiet. There were a few students milling around, but the rest seemed to be in their rooms.

Harry walked into his dorm to find Dean and Seamus fussing over each other ties, Neville tying and retying his laces and Ron staring at his dress robes.

“Why do we have to have a Yule Ball again?”

“At least they're better than the ones you had for the last one.” Harry was right of course. At least these robes were black, new and had _less_ lace than the ones Mrs Weasley had sent during the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

“But they’re still hideous.” Harry shook his head with a smile, before moving to his own bed, where his suit had been laid out. The simple black dinner suit had served him well and, hopefully, Draco wouldn’t be too offended by it.

“Did you find a partner, Harry?” Dean had managed to stop Seamus from messing with Dean’s tie long enough to sort out Seamus’.

“Erm, yeah. We’ll be the first couple dancing.” Ron looked over at him.

“Well at least you're going before Malfoy.” He grinned at Harry as though they had just won the Quidditch Cup.

“Yeah.” Harry busied himself with getting dressed. Hopefully, Draco would arrive after everyone else had gone, at least then he could avoid answering any questions until tomorrow.

Once again, however, Harry was reminded that luck was against him. As he, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were sat in the common room, waiting either to be picked up or to go and pick up their dates, Draco strolled in through the portrait.

“Are you ready, Harry?” He thought Ron was going to explode, while Hermione kept looking between the two of them.

“I’m here to pick up my partner for the ball. Shouldn’t you be doing the same, Weasley?”

Harry stood up and walked over to where Draco stood. “Come on.”

“Wait, Harry. You’re his partner?” Ginny had cocked her head as if trying to figure the situation out.

“Yeah, but we need to go, just to make sure the house-elves have put out the right drinks. We don’t want the third years drinking fire whisky.” He turned to walk out of the common room. “We’ll see you guys later. We’ll be by the doors if you’re still up for getting everyone.”

He led Draco through the portrait hole, his heart beating almost as fast as feet wanted to run.


End file.
